Not a Dry Eye in the House
by Cloud-1-3-5 and Ame Emi Dai
Summary: "Listen and you'll hear the sound of a breaking..." Otogi reflects on a broken relationship. Primarily angst, some fluff. Yaoi, Otogi x Seto, one-shot, complete


Hey again all! Bazu once more, with my first Seto x Otogi fic. Mainly angst, with some fluffy bits. This is a songfic, the song featured is 'Not a Dry Eye in the House' by Meatloaf. Enjoy!

**_WARNING:_** Shounen-ai. That means boy love, which means boy on boy storyline. This one isn't as graphic as my usual, but you have been warned never the less!

Thanks to Koori-chan for encouraging me to post this, especially after I had a little confidence shake!

*~*~*~*~*~*

_Not a dry eye in the house  
As the last curtain comes down  
Listen and you'll hear the sound  
Hear the sound of a breaking…_

*~*~*~*~*~*

A lonely sigh filled the room as its sole occupant slumped down into an easy chair, his once-sparkling emerald eyes now a dull, lifeless, murky green. One finger listlessly twirled one of his prongs of hair as he dropped almost lifelessly into the nook of the arm, his body language betraying the fact that he had no intention of doing _anything_ any time soon, least of all moving. His eyes fixed on a distant point, Otogi sighed once again, not seeing the present but instead living in the past, his memories swirling round in his head and refusing him any peace.

"Seto…" he whispered softly.

*~*~*~*~*~*

_I can still see you standing there  
With that ribbon blowing through your hair  
Remember, the kiss was sweet in the salty air  
Well our love was forever_

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Seto…" Otogi murmured thoughtfully.

Bright green eyes found they couldn't leave the owner of that name, who was sat across the room. He wasn't just sexy – there was something special about him. His strong posture radiating confidence; his fierce, icy blue eyes forcing a determined stare upon any who looked at him the wrong way; his set jaw revealing strength. This 'Seto' wasn't just anyone – there was _definitely_ something special about him.

"He's the president of KaibaCorp, Mr. Otogi," the waiter helpfully explained. "The adopted son of Gozaburo Kaiba, the former world chess cham-"

The waiter abruptly silenced himself as Otogi's eyes finally left the other man, their cool gaze settling on him in a decidedly unnerving manner instead. "I didn't ask for his life story," Otogi calmly stated. "I asked for his name. But since you're still here…" Otogi pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and quickly scribbled a note. "Perhaps you could give this to him for me."

The waiter, looking somewhat relieved that Otogi hadn't yelled at him, took the note and hurried over to Seto's table, leaving the boy to lean back in his chair, calmly awaiting a response. Cool and calm was the way he always played it – lose your head and lose the game. Idly taking a couple of dice from his pocket and juggling them in his hand, Otogi smiled to himself. Life was all a game really, he mused as the clattering of enamel on wood indicated he'd just rolled.

"If he wants to talk to me, tell him to come over here himself!" a voice snapped.

Otogi glanced at the dice on the table. 

Two sixes.

Smiling, Otogi pocketed the little cubes and stood up, making his way to Seto's table before the waiter had even come back.

"What do you want?" Seto snapped irritably as Otogi sat in a chair opposite him, arms lightly folded as he leaned his weight onto the table. "I'm waiting for an important client."

Otogi smiled again. His eyes, which had been on the Brunette's hands, flicked up so they met his piercing, icy-blue gaze. An icy-blue gaze that soon melted.

Seto almost gasped as the stranger's eyes met his, sparkling green framed by ebony black hair, and his glare instantly softened. There was something so… different, about him.

"My name's Otogi," the boy stated casually, lightly flicking at his ponytail with one hand. Seto nodded at this and held out his hand. "Seto Kaiba," he responded neutrally, shaking Otogi's hand. He then pulled a cell phone out of his trench coat and dialled a number.

"Cancel my one o' clock."

*~*~*~*~*~*

_Turn the page and we fade to the blue  
The scene has changed; now I'm without you  
Well you just walked away when the act was through  
And the dream was over_

*~*~*~*~*~*

Otogi's gaze didn't change as the minutes rolled by. Sat in that lone chair, taunted by his memories, his eyes maintained that same distant look as he reflected on what could have been and what had been. The two of them could have worked out their problems, he told himself. There could have been so much going for them. They could have been together forever.

A bitter laugh – barely more than a short, sharp 'Ha!' – escaped the boy's lips as he finally shook himself from his stupor. Could have, should have, would have… The point was they _weren't_. It had hardly even been given a second thought by Seto, it seemed, yet Otogi had been ready to fight tooth and nail for what they had.

So much for forever love.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Otogi, I have to talk to you."

With Seto, that phrase always meant trouble. Someone was going to get fired, or the accounts were wrong and he wanted to know why, or anything like that. _That_ phrase was his way of saying 'Brace yourself – this isn't going to be pretty'. Otogi felt his heart sinking as Seto turned and walked into his office, leaving the door open for his boyfriend to follow, and dutifully pulled himself out of his chair in the corridor, slinking slightly as he went along behind.

Once inside the familiar room, Otogi stood before Seto's desk, hands clasped in front of his lap.

"Read this."

Otogi looked at the letter that was pushed across the desk in front of him, sizing it up for a couple of seconds before picking it up with one hand to read it, his other arm folding across his chest.

His eyes peered over the top of the letter to regard the CEO. "…you've got to go abroad for a few months?"

Seto nodded. "Executive business trip. They want to speak to me personally, and want to discuss all the details of the merger. That'll mean I can't afford any distractions while I'm away."

"Well that's okay," Otogi replied, flicking at his ponytail again. He guessed this was what Seto had wanted to talk about, and had relaxed a bit more. "I can wait a few months to see you again. I'll just take care of the house myself while you're away."

"That won't be necessary. And by that I mean you won't have any reason to."

His hand halfway down from his ponytail, Otogi paused mid-motion before turning confused eyes onto Seto. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, his voice betraying a hint of worry. Seto's tone was unusually cold toward him today, as if he was deliberately trying to dislike Otogi. "I live there, don't I?"

"I'm afraid not."

Emerald green eyes grew wide. "What?! What do you mean?" Otogi stepped up to the edge of the desk, both hands pressed firmly against the surface as he leaned over to speak to Seto, panic now in his voice. "What do you mean, I don't live there?"

"I mean I don't want to see you there when I get back."

"But…"

Slowly, it dawned on Otogi exactly what Seto meant. "You're… breaking up with me?"

"We just don't have time for each other, Otogi. I've devoted my life to Mokuba and to my work, and I can't make any room for you. You seem to be pretty busy with your dice games too nowadays."

"But I-"

"I don't want to hear it, Otogi. Now please just get out of my office. It's over."

*~*~*~*~*~*

_It was almost like a movie, the way you said goodbye  
You must have spent a lot of time  
Letting me down every line_

*~*~*~*~*~*

"_You can't do this to me_!" Otogi yelled. "You told me you'd always love me! You said you wanted to be with me forever! You said-"

"I've said a lot of things in my time, Otogi." Seto's voice was sharp and harsh, but he wasn't yelling. It was the bite behind it, the threatening undertone, that cut Otogi off, not the volume. "Sometimes we don't think about what we say."

"_But you can't_" Otogi insisted. "I love you! I need you! I-"

"_Otogi_!"

Green eyes slowly lowered to the floor. "You really mean it, don't you?" he whispered. "You don't love me at all, do you?"

"I never did. I just didn't realise it at the time."

A silence followed, both waiting for the other to speak. Eventually, Otogi brought himself to carry on the conversation, his voice low and sullen. "…then why did you say it? Why did you lie to me, saying such important words and not knowing they were true?"

"It was a mistake."

*~*~*~*~*~*

_And there's not a dry eye in the house  
As the last curtain comes down  
Listen and you'll hear the sound  
Hear the sound of a breaking… breaking…  
Not a smile left on my face  
The endings are still set to take  
And there's not a dry eye  
Not a dry eye in the house_

*~*~*~*~*~*

Otogi knew now what those words _really_ meant. _He_ was the mistake. Seto wished he'd never cancelled that first appointment, or spent any time with him. Climbing out of his chair, Otogi pulled two dice out of his pocket. The same two he'd rolled on the table the day he'd first seen Seto.

His fist tightened fiercely round them, his knuckles turning white from the pressure, and with an anguished yell Otogi flung the dice across the room, turning to storm out as he did so.

A soft clattering by his feet, however, made him pause and look down, and he saw two dice halves on the floor, each die cracked in two like Seto had done his heart. He knew they were from separate dice, because they both displayed the same number.

It was the first time Otogi had rolled snake-eyes in his life. And it was then that reality hit home.

With another cry of anguish, this time mixed with a thick sob, Otogi dropped heavily to his knees by the two fragments, his chest shuddering slightly as yet more tears fell for his lost love, the drips splashing down onto the pieces before him.

"Bastard…" he choked.

*~*~*~*~*~*

_The greatest story was you and me  
We had it all; we had everything  
But now the story's done, it's just history  
The last act is over_

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Come on Seto!" Otogi cried cheerfully over his shoulder as he ran on ahead. "We don't have enough time!"

"We've got the whole day," the CEO muttered, forcibly keeping a smile from his face. He wanted to go have fun with his boyfriend, to run after him and dance about and laugh as he did… but he had a reputation to maintain. Not that it meant he couldn't enjoy himself on the rides though, he decided as he picked up his pace, his trenchcoat billowing behind him in the breeze as he stalked along the path left through the crowds in Otogi's wake.

The fair was in town for the week, and it was the first day, which meant cheap rides. That in itself wasn't an issue for either boy, but the crowds were always bigger and more energetic on the first day. People _wanted_ to spend their money. This in turn meant the ride owners would push the speed a little higher and make them last a little longer, so that people would come back later in the week for more goes. It was a classic trick, but it worked.

"Come _on_ Seto!"

"I am."

"Faster!"

"Save it for the rides."

Otogi grinned cockily, his green eyes sparkling with mischief as he stood and waited for Seto in front of the Ferris Wheel. He knew that Seto's tough exterior was all an act, and he knew that deep down, Seto wanted to tease just as much as he did. "We talking rides in the fairground or rides in the bedroom?"

Seto smirked in response, standing so he was just a few inches from his boyfriend. "Whichever you feel appropriate," he murmured, pulling the green-eyed youth into his arms. Otogi smiled up at his partner before pretending to contemplate.

"Hmmm…" he mused loudly, tapping a finger thoughtfully against his lips. Suddenly, his demeanour brightened, and he almost bounced on the spot. "How about both?"

"Whichever you feel appropriate, my Otogibanashi."[1]

Otogi frowned and swatted at Seto, this pet name not adhering too well. "Let's just hurry up and get on, shall we?" he pouted, nodding toward the wheel. "It'll be nice and private up there, with just the two of us…" he added, daintily walking his fingers up Seto's chest.

Seto smiled, a rare sight, and looked upon his partner. "I think the view's quite nice from here though…"

Unfazed, Otogi grabbed Seto's wrist and tugged him toward the queue. It looked like the line for this ride wouldn't be too long anyway…

*~*~*~*~*~*

_Your every line had the sweetest sound  
Your every touch turned my world around  
But then the lights came up and my world crashed down  
And the show is over_

*~*~*~*~*~*

A fisted hand pushed off the floor as Otogi climbed to his feet, his teeth gritted as he suppressed his tears and anger. He'd given so much to Seto; he'd put his boyfriend before his business, his reputation, the rest of his life… and he'd just thrown it back at him, so coldly. Just torn it up, and brought the walls of reality crashing down upon him without a care. Just finished it like that, as though he really _had_ meant nothing all along.

*~*~*~*~*~*

_It was almost like a movie, as magic touched the stars  
Times were good with you and I  
Now it's sad enough to make you cry_

*~*~*~*~*~*

Otogi staggered through to the kitchen, leaning his weight against one of the sideboards as he came to a jerky halt. Glancing down, he tore his hands away quickly, as though he'd been electrocuted, and his mouth opened in a silent gasp. Even through teary eyes, he recognised the trinket on the side immediately.

A bracelet. The bracelet Seto had bought him for his birthday, not even a month after they'd been going out. A fine, gold-thread mesh band, with a tiny pair of solid diamond dice acting as the link to put it on. With trembling hands, Otogi scooped it up delicately, a tear dropping and splashing onto his wrist as the memory returned.

"I didn't mean a thing to you, huh?"

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Seto…" the boy breathed. "It's…"

Azure eyes twinkled in amusement as a long pause ensued. It was so rare that Otogi couldn't think of anything to say. "I take it you like it then?" his deep voice asked.

A breathless nod. "It's… it's beautiful…" Otogi, his fingers shaking, softly wrapped it round his wrist, clipping it together and admiring it. "It's such a close fit too… Seto, did you get this _tailored_?"

The CEO smiled. "It doesn't matter, does it?" As a black ponytail whipped rapidly back and forth, the owner shaking his head furiously, Seto smiled again, before stepping forward and taking his partner into his arms. "Happy birthday, koibito," he whispered, before lightly pressing his lips to Otogi's, the boy giving a soft moan as he melted under the brunette's gentle affections.

*~*~*~*~*~*

_And there's not a dry eye in the house  
As the last curtain comes down  
Listen and you'll hear the sound  
Hear the sound of a breaking… breaking…  
Not a smile left on my face  
The endings are still set to take  
And there's not a dry eye  
Not a dry eye in the house_

*~*~*~*~*~*

Otogi stared at the bracelet as drop after drop fell from his eyes. "How could you?" he whispered, choking. "How could you… do this to me?" His hand screwed up into a fist around the bracelet, and for a second he almost threw that across the room too. Swallowing loudly, he opened his hand again, and stared down at the ornate charm that lay there.

Without a sound, Otogi placed it back where he'd found it, softly walking away. It was all he had left. Seto had sworn his love on that bracelet, and as long as the bracelet was still in his possession, he still had Seto's love too. No matter what Seto said, he _had_ loved him. Otogi was sure of it. And as long as Otogi knew that, there was a hope that it could work out still. Maybe there was something left… something to build on.

*~*~*~*~*~*

_Act one – the story's just begun_

*~*~*~*~*~*

Otogi looked across the room to the phone that sat on the other side. Somehow, it seemed so far away, almost unreachable. He knew it was only a few paces… but at the same time, it seemed forever. Then again, sat in that restaurant, Seto had seemed unreachable too, at first. Before he knew Seto's name, Seto was just a God sat in the corner. Gods couldn't be reached… but he had a name. He was a man.

And men could be.

*~*~*~*~*~*

_Act two – I fell in love with you_

*~*~*~*~*~*

Men could be…

Otogi stared at the phone, his heart filling with light hope. Seto _had_ loved him… and maybe he still did. Maybe he could be reached.

Was it a false hope? Was he exciting himself over nothing?

*~*~*~*~*~*

_Act three – it was meant to be_

*~*~*~*~*~*

Otogi shook his head, taking a tentative step. There was hope. They'd been so happy together; he'd seen it in Seto's eyes and felt it himself. They were meant for each other. Seto was his equal, and he Seto's. They were the two sides of the same coin; the paired numbers on each side of the dice. They were meant for each other.

It _had_ to be.

*~*~*~*~*~*

_Act four – you don't love me no more_

Not a dry eye in the house  
As the last curtain comes down  
Listen and you'll hear the sound  
Hear the sound of a breaking… breaking…  
Not a smile left on my face  
The endings are still set to take  
And there's not a dry eye  
Not a dry eye…

*~*~*~*~*~*

His fingers trembled as he dialled the number he knew all too well. Somehow, he'd made it to the phone. Somehow, he'd picked the receiver up. Somehow, Seto's phone was ringing at the other end of the line. A silent tear slipped from his eye once again as he twirled the cord in his finger, too nervous to reach for his hair as he usually would. All he had to do now was keep himself in control; to tell Seto that it could work, that he wanted it to… and they'd be fine.

A soft click indicated the person at the other end had picked up. A deep, gruff voice spoke, the voice hoarse and wavering slightly. "Hello?"

"…Seto?"

*~*~*~*~*~*

End

*~*~*~*~*~*

[1] Otogibanashi = Fairy tale ('Otogi' meaning 'fairy')

*~*~*~*~*~*

I don't think that was my best piece ever, but... Heh, hope you enjoyed it - please review! ^_^ 


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